Hundreds of nurses in Watsonville are off the job and on the picket lines.

Hundreds of nurses in Watsonville are off the job and on the picket lines.

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Updated: 7:22 PM PDT Aug 14, 2014

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WEBVTT ON THE HEALTHWATCH: HUNDREDS OFNURSES IN WATSONVILLEARE OFF THE JOB ANDON THE PICKET LINES.THEY'RE UPSET OVERSTAFFING LEVELS ANDBENEFITS.ACTION NEWSREPORTER PHIL GOMEZ ISLIVE IN SANTA CRUZWITH DAY ONE OF THESTRIKE.#TWO-HUNDRED-AND-50REGISTERED NURSES ATWATSONVILLECOMMUNITY HOSPITALBEGAN PICKETING ATSEVEN THIS MORNING.THEY PLAN TO BE OUTHERE FOR THE NEXTTHREE DAYS.What do we want? A contract!FOR ALMOST A YEARWATSONVILLECOMMUNITY HOSPITALNURSES HAVE BEENWITHOUT A CONTRACT.REPRESENTED BY THECALIFORNIA NURSESASSOCIATION, THEY SAYTHERE ARE SEVERALSTICKING POINTS..INCLUDING HOSPITALMANAGEMENT'S PLAN TORAISE THEIR HEALTHCARE COVERAGE RATES.THEY ALSO CITEONGOING STAFFING ANDSAFETY ISSUES.ONE OF THOSE SAFETYCONCERNS IS; LIFTINGPATIENTS.BUT THE HOSPITALRELEASED A STATEMENTSTATING IT'S ADDRESSEDTHOSE CONCERN WITHNEW SAFETY EQUIPMENTAND TRAINING.We want to be able to take careof our patients in a safe mannerwe want it in writing and wewantto work wit the people who arehere..THE HOSPITAL WILL REMAINOPEN DURING THE STRIKE...AND SAYS PATIENT CARE WILLNOT SUFFER. THE HOSPITALHAS HIRED TEMPORARYLICENSED NURSES TO TAKE THEPLACE OF STRIKERS.We provide a ten day notice whenwe're going to strikeI mean, if the nurses aren'tstaffed at the level rright nowweprobably wouldnt be out here.THE HOSPITAL HAS ALSOADDED EXTRA SECURITYPERSONNEL TO KEEP STRIKERSAWAY FROM THE ENTRANCE.THE HOSPITAL IS OWNED BY'COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS'OUT OF TENNESSEE ...ANDNURSES AT TWO OTHERCALIFORNIA HOSPITALS ALSOPLANNED ONE DAY WALKOUTSTODAY.TALKS BETWEEN WATSONVILLEHOSPITAL NURSES ANDMANAGEMENT ARE SCHEDULEDFOR LATER THIS MONTH.A FEDERAL MEDIATORIS INVOLVED IN THEDISCUSSIONS WHICH ARESCHEDULED TOCONTINUE LATER THISMONTH.MEANTIME,COMMUNITY HEALTHSYSTEMS JUST SETTLEDAN INVESTIGATION WITHTHE DEPARTMENT OFJUSTICE.THE COMPANY PAID98-MILLION DOLLARS FORFALSE BILLINGPRACITICES.####P-G AND E CUSTOMERS

Nurses strike outside Watsonville hospital

Hundreds of nurses in Watsonville are off the job and on the picket lines.